In most fight fans’ eyes, Andre Ward is the greatest pound-for-pound fighter walking the planet.
That’s what makes it so shocking to learn that the undefeated American has decided to retire at the age of 33.
Ward leaves the sport as the unified WBA, IBF, WBO and The Ring light heavyweight champion and with a record of 32-0, with 16 of his victories coming by way of knockout.
The California native successfully moved up in weight to defeat Sergey Kovalev on two occasions in his most recent pair of outings and, having reached the pinnacle of his sport, the sky seemed to be the limit for Ward.
MISSION ACCOMPLISHED ✌🏽https://t.co/FTBBwubLsd pic.twitter.com/dtQppu8pAZ
— Andre S.O.G. Ward (@andreward) September 21, 2017
But on Thursday, ‘S.O.G’ revealed that he’d arrived at the decision to hang up his gloves and walk away from boxing with his faculties intact.
“I want to be clear — I am leaving because my body can no longer put up with the rigours of the sport and therefore my desire to fight is no longer there,” a statement on Ward’s website reads. “If I cannot give my family, my team, and the fans everything that I have, then I should no longer be fighting.”
Not many fighters are intelligent to get out before it’s too late and we can only wish Ward the best of luck in whatever he decides to do next in life and thank him for the wars he’s given us.
